The Indian Express (Delhi Edition)
NCP won’t back Fadnavis govt if Sena pulls out: Pawar
MAHARASHTRA CIVIC POLLS
AMID THE ongoing war of words between the Shiv Sena and BJP ahead of the civic polls in Maharashtra, NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday dared Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray to quit the Bjp-led government in the state and said that his party would not help the BJP to continue in power.
“We (the NCP) are willing to issue a letter in writing to the Governor, stating clearly that we won’t extend support to the BJP. I will even share this letter with Uddhav, but can he issue a similar undertaking stating he will remove support to the BJP,” Pawar said here.
He also appeared to question the genuineness behind the Shiv Sena’s threat to pull out of the Fadnavis government. “Uddhav hasn’t yet made clear if he intended to withdraw support. In fact, by suggesting that his party would continue to support the BJP if Fadnavis waived off farm loans, he has already provided for an escape route. To save his government, Fadnavis would even take this bait,” he added.
Pawar, however, conceded that the fight was between the Shiv Sena and the BJP with Sena seeming to have the upper hand.
He accused the ruling BJP of using “immense money power” in the local body polls. “Those talking about transparency must give an account of how they were able to assemble such money power all of a sudden,” Pawar said, referring to the BJP. Taking a sharp dig at Fadnavis’s campaign tagline “This is my word” on promises made to the voters, Pawar said, “Those who haven’t yet completely understood Maharashtra mustn’t make such statements. Their word hardly counts.”
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Steppingupitsattackonthebjponcorruption allegations, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking whether the Ganga clean-up “scam”moneyhasgoneintomodi’spockets.“if thenullahcleaning‘scam’moneyhasgoneinto my pocket, then is the Ganga clean-up scam money has gone into Modi’s pocket,” said Uddhav in a scathing attack on the BJP leadershipatarallyhere.“modiiswearingrs10lakh suit and then he is talking about former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s raincoat.”